The Canadian Regulatory View of Insect Resistance Management Entomological Society of America Meeting, Indianapolis, Indiana December 2009 Heather McBrien Value and Sustainability Assessment Directorate, Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Overview Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA): Canadian regulatory framework Sources of resistance risk Regulatory Activities at PMRA Regulatory options and potential solutions
Canadian Regulatory Framework Regulation of pest control products in Canada: Health Canada s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) Pest Control Products Act: Prevent unacceptable risks to people and the environment from the use of pest control products Ensure that pest control products have acceptable value
Value Assessment (PMRA) Includes assessment of efficacy, adverse effects on crop/site, contribution to sustainability, and related social or economic impacts Ensures that appropriate application rates and use directions are on the product label Value and Sustainability Assessment Directorate
Evaluation of Resistance Risk and Resistance Management at PMRA Evaluated in the context of sustainability Considered when application rates, application frequencies, and timing of applications are assessed
Sources of Resistance Risk Inherent risk factors: due to the interaction between the pest and the pesticide Agronomic risks: associated with how the product is used
Inherent Risk Factors Pesticide-Associated Risks: Mode of action Persistence of activity Ease of metabolism of the pesticide
Inherent Risk Factors Pest-Associated Risks: Generation time Fecundity and distribution of progeny Pest dispersal Underlying genetics that confer resistance Fitness of resistant individuals
Agronomic Risk Factors Application rates Number of applications per season Number of sequential applications Crop production system Geographical isolation of pest Rotation of products with alternative modes of action Use of complimentary pest control practices (e.g., cultural controls)
Regulatory Strategies for Resistance Management at PMRA Regulators can influence a subset of the agronomic sources of resistance risk This is mainly limited to the regulatory process and can be achieved through labelling
Value Considerations What are the registered alternative active ingredients/modes of action? What is the inherent risk relative to the active ingredient? What is the inherent risk relative to the target pest? What is the agronomic risk relative to the proposed use directions?
Mitigation of Resistance Risks Through Labelling Revision of use directions, where appropriate Application rate Application timing Number of applications per season Number of sequential applications Require tank mixes or mode of action rotation in sequential applications Resistance management labelling
PMRA Regulatory Directive DIR99-06 Voluntary Pesticide Resistance Management Labelling Based on Target Mode of Action (DIR99-06) Developed and published in parallel with the Office of Pesticide Programs of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (Pesticide Registration Notice 2001-05)
PMRA DIR99-06 Identifies a standard format for displaying group identification symbols on new and existing product labels Includes guidance on resistance management wording to include in the use directions Applied to commercial class pesticides
Regulatory Activities at PMRA Update DIR99-06 Registration of new modes of action: through global and joint reviews and through other registration processes (e.g. minor use) Discussion and collaborative efforts at provincial, national and international level
Resistance Management Opportunities Work in partnership with researchers, extension specialists, industry and growers Ensure that product labels are being read and understood Ensure that regulatory recommendations are consistent with best practices for resistance management Encourage good product stewardship
Pest Resistance Management Workshop February 2008, Ottawa, Canada Collaborative effort between Crop Life and PMRA Participant-driven program Government Industry Academia
Resistance Management Recommendations from Workshop: Enhance definition of roles and responsibilities of stakeholders Regional approach Increase number of available modes of action Monitor to delay the onset of resistance Improve awareness of IRM through education Ensure users are aware of resistance management strategies
NAFTA Meeting: Ottawa, December 2009 NAFTA Technical Working Group on Pesticides Break-out Group discussion on pesticide resistance: issues and strategies for management Resistance management from perspective of regulatory agencies, extension/academia, industry, and growers/users What role(s) should each play in resistance management?
Ongoing Challenges Potential lack of alternative chemistries for rotation impact of re-evaluation difficulty in finding new chemistries Increase in practices that could favour development of resistance short or inappropriate crop rotations below-label application rates pesticide use for non-pesticidal purposes Using the easy solution Education
Next Steps Follow-up on recommendations from Workshop in 2008 and on discussions at NAFTA meeting in December 2009 Increase awareness of resistance management Increase importance of cooperation between growers, industry, researchers, stakeholders, and government